Sunday, December 11, 2016

Our guest today is Peter Watt, who has just released his latest novel When the Moon Burns. Peter has been a soldier, articled clerk to a solicitor, prawn trawler deckhand, builder's labourer, pipe layer, real estate salesman, private investigator, police sergeant and adviser to the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary. He has lived and worked with Aborigines, Islanders, Vietnamese and Papua New Guineans and speaks, reads and writes Vietnamese and Pidgin. He is also a firefighter with the N.SW Rural Fire Service.

What or who inspired you to first write?

Like many with the writing gene I knew from
a very early age that I wanted to write.In the 1960’s I read every author I could such as James A Mitchener,
Leon Uris, James Clavell, Wilbur Smith, John Steinbeck and many others.I was drawn to the history and sweeping
stories written by the great authors mentioned.

What is the inspiration for your current
book?

The inspiration that drove the newly
published While the Moon Burns was our place in history in the years 1945 to
1951.It has beenthe theme throughout
all the Frontier series which has taken the reader of this series from the
Queensland frontier of 1862 onwards.

Is there a particular theme you are
exploring in this book?

The theme is incorporated into the ongoing
generations of the two families. That is, the reader of the Frontier series
observes the changes to our attitudes influenced by the national and
international events of the time.

Which period of history particularly
inspires or interests you? Why?

I guess the history of the 19th century has
the most appeal as it was a century of rapid technological change, colonialism
and the century when we grew our own culture in Australia.

What resources do you use to research your
book?

Research is primarily done through the use
of personal eye witness accounts found in libraries and old photographs. The
old saying that a picture can speak a thousand words is true. The internet is a good source of specific
things such as names of characters pertinent to the time written about.

Which methods/ strategies do you employ to
write?

I allow history to guide the actions of my
characters.

Is there anything unusual or even quirky
that you would like to share about your writing?

If any thing research can get a writer into
trouble.I remember once going to my
library to research women’s underwear in 1868.I found a couple of books on the subject, as I required the information
for a seduction scene where the hero undresses the heroine.I booked them out, and heard one librarian
say to the other as I was leaving, “Ï think that man must be some kind of
pervert.”

How long does it generally take you to
write a book?

I devote six months to fighting bushfires
which generally sees me out every second day on one fire ground in the fire
season.So, my research and writing is
the other half of the year -generally through the colder, wetter months. That
does mean a 10 hour day, seven days a week.

What advice would you give an aspiring
author?

My first book, Cry of the Curlew was
originally rejected for main stream publishing.A letter from the publisher explained why it was not up to standard, and
I rewrote the book to comply with what was required by publishers.The second time around it was recognised as
what the public wanted in a mass market release.The books are now in many languages -and the
rest is history. The advice I would give originates in my army days when I was
fortunate enough to do a course with the legendary Australian Army Training
Team Vietnam as an advisor.They had a
shoulder patch that had one word which has stuck with me in many things I have
done in life – PERSEVERE!

Thanks for sharing your experience Peter. All the best with your new book!

In the war across the seas, the Duffys and the McIntoshes
are on the same side. But on home turf, the battle between these two dynasties
rages on. After fighting in two world wars, Tom Duffy's purchase of
his ancestral property, Glen View, means a home for the next generation of
Duffys. But the Mcintosh family won't easily surrender this land, and when they
challenge his ownership he knows he's in for one hell of a fight. Meanwhile in Sydney, Sarah has taken over from her father as
the head of the Mcintosh firm. She has big plans for herself and the family
business, and isn't afraid to play dirty. Sergeant Jessica Duffy, Captain James Duffy and Major David
Mcintosh have survived countless battles the world over, but will all they are
fighting for still be waiting for them when they return home.

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